Jat protest turns uglier, women dragged out of cars, raped

Sonipat: Jat quota stir has left Murthal villagers with a horrific tale to tell.

In the wee hours of Monday, vehicles with women passengers were allegedly stopped on the national highway and then sexually assaulted.

According to a report in Tribune, at least 10 women were forcibly dragged out and raped in the nearby fields. The shocked residents rushed to bring clothes and blankets for them, said the eyewitness.

“Three women were taken to Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba and united with their families in the presence of senior police officers. They appeared lifeless. District officials, who arrived there, instead of investigating the matter, persuaded the families to take the women home. Many were provided transport,” said an eyewitness, who did not want to be identified.

But, a senior IPS officer police dismissed the incident as rumour.

It is even painful that the senior police officials advised the victims and their families not to report the matter to anyone “for the sake of their honour”.

Amrik Singh owner of Sukhdev Dhaba was quoted as saying that he learnt about the incident at 3 am when some travellers heard the victims wailing.

Jai Bhagwan, who owns a dhaba on the highway, said four young women took refuge inside a water tank.

“We turned off the lights so as not to attract the attention of the goons. The hapless women remained there for hours till they were escorted out at daybreak.”

Terrified by the incident, village elders didn’t want to talk about the incident as “the police are sure to shield the criminals and nobody, not even the locals, are safe.”

The orders stated, “Members of the HHRC Justice HS Bhalla and JS Ahlawat took a serious notice on the contents of news and had given notice to the Superintendent of Police, Sonipat as the matter relates to the dignity of women in general as well as bad governance on the part of local police, district Sonipat.”